The Global Turbidity Current Pump and Its Implications for Organic Carbon Cycling

Type Article
Date 2024
Language English
Author(s) Talling Peter J.1, 2, Hage SophieORCID3, Baker Megan L.1, Bianchi Thomas S.4, Hilton Robert G.5, Maier Katherine L.6
Affiliation(s) 1 : Department of Geography, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom
2 : Department of Earth Sciences, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom
3 : Geo-Ocean, Université de Bretagne-Occidentale, IFREMER, CNRS UMR 6538, Plouzané, France
4 : Department of Geological Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
5 : Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
6 : National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand
Source Annual Review Of Marine Science (1941-1405) (Annual Reviews), 2024 , Vol. 16 , P. 105-133
DOI 10.1146/annurev-marine-032223-103626
WOS© Times Cited 3
Keyword(s) turbidity current, submarine fan, organic carbon cycling, terrestrial organic carbon, marine organic carbon, burial efficiency
Abstract

Submarine turbidity currents form the largest sediment accumulations on Earth, raising the question of their role in global carbon cycles. It was previously inferred that terrestrial organic carbon was primarily incinerated on shelves and that most turbidity current systems are presently inactive. Turbidity currents were thus not considered in global carbon cycles, and the burial efficiency of global terrestrial organic carbon was considered low to moderate (∼10–44%). However, recent work has shown that burial of terrestrial organic carbon by turbidity currents is highly efficient (>60–100%) in a range of settings and that flows occur more frequently than once thought, although they were far more active at sea-level lowstands. This leads to revised global estimates for mass flux (∼62–90 Mt C/year) and burial efficiency (∼31–45%) of terrestrial organic carbon in marine sediments. Greatly increased burial fluxes during sea-level lowstands are also likely underestimated; thus, organic carbon cycling by turbidity currents could play a role in long-term changes in atmospheric CO2 and climate. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Marine Science, Volume 16 is January 2024. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

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